Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has directed officers to ensure that there is no paucity of relief material or water in drought-hit districts of Bundelkhand. He also asked officers to strictly ensure free distribution of the Samajwadi Drought Relief material and free food grains under the Food Security Act, as ordered earlier.

The chief minister was today reviewing the relief operations in the drought affected Bundelkhand districts,at a high-level meeting at his official residence. He said that distribution of Samajwadi Drought Relief material to 2.30 lakh Antyodaya families in the seven districts of Bundelkhand should be ensured at all costs.

Mr. Yadav also warned officers against any laxity in this regard and said that district magistrates would be personally held responsible for any death due to hunger in their respective districts. Officers apprised the Chief Minister, at the meeting, that relief work was going on in a smooth manner and that relief packets were also being distributed to Antyodaya families, whose livelihood has been adversely affected.

Other than this, Rs one crore per district has also been allocated in the past to seven districts for fodder ofthe cattle and that man days under the MNREGA have been increased from 100 to150 days. Round the clock power supply has also been ordered for the Bundelkhand region. Tankers have also been pressed into service for supply of potable water and under the Samajwadi Pension Scheme, eligible beneficiaries are being covered cent per cent.

Under the rural development department, 5786 new India Mark-2 handpumps are being established at the cost of Rs 40 crore. Besides, Rs 9.94 crore have been sanctioned for purchase of 440 water tankers in seven districts. Under the economic development scheme, the planning department has sanctioned Rs 20.85 crore for reboring of 3,527India-Mark 2 handpumps.

In the Bundelkhand region, as against 160.88 man days in 2015-16 in seven districts, Rs 198.26 lakh many days have been created this year.

Under the Chief Minister Water Conservation Mission, Rs 10,705.74 lakh have been spent in Bundelkhand for work on ponds and in the whole state Rs 87,197 lakh in the entire state under this head. The Union government has been requested by the state agriculture department for price upgrade of til seeds. A scheme of Rs 12.21 crore has been cleared for water conservation and a target of 2000 ponds has been fixed.

In the first phase of the Bundelkhand Package, 12 rural piped water projects and in the second phase 48 rural piped water projects have been okayed. In the first phase, a sum of Rs 91.63crore has been released for construction in the first phase. Of the 12 rural piped water supply schemes 11 have been completed and now being used while for the second phase Rs 181.283 crore has been released and 18 schemes are complete and being run.

It was also informed during the meeting that by the help of the GoI, transit of produce of farmers of Bundelkhand Region, seven special Mandis and 133 rural infrastructure centres were being constructed by the Mandi Parishad.

Rivers are also being revived under the Chief Minister Water Conservation Mission. Fifteen Check Dams are being constructed at the cost of Rs. 615.89 lakh in Charkhari and Kabrai development blocks in Mahoba for revival of Chandrawal River. In Jhansi, in development blocks Gursarai and Bhangra, tenders for 29 check dams worth Rs. 632.978 lakh have already been invited.